Valladolid 1 - Rayo Vallecano 3

Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, García Calvo, Heinze, Marcos; Caminero, Lozano (Ciric 60'), Jesús, Fernando Sales (Pachón 65'); Fernando (Eusebio 75'); Alberto. 4-4-1-1.
Rayo: Keller (Lopetegui 75'); Alcázar, Patxi Ferreira (De Quintana 61'), Ballesteros, Mingo; Iván Iglesias, Helder (Bolo 60'), Poschner, Setvalls; Michel; Bolic. 4-4-1-1.

Team changes: Valladolid: García Calvo, Heinze, Lozano, Jesús for Peña, Santamaría, Turiel, Eusebio / Rayo: Patxi Ferreira, Mingo, Iván Iglesias, Setvalls for Urbano, De Quintana, Glaucio, Luis Cembranos.

Goals:
0-1. 33. Iván Iglesias. Beat Bizzarri at second attempt after Bolic headed ball on
1-1. 37. Caminero. Header unmarked on near post after cross from Torres Gómez.
1-2. 56. Ballesteros. Glancing header past Bizzarri after long ball in from midfield.
1-3. 90. Bolic. Raced on to through ball to round keeper and score in empty net.

Valladolid manager Pancho Ferraro handed in his resignation after his team lost their fourth game in a row. The defeat leaves them in fifteenth place within five points of the drop zone, and although rumours abounded after Carlos Aimar was seen in the stands, the club finally named Pepe Moré as caretaker manager until the end of the season. Ferraro drafted back in three of the four players suspended last week, with Lozano making his first start in almost a year after recovering from a serious knee injury. They were up against a Rayo Vallecano side who were also in desperate need of a win after five matches without one, and with Luis Cembranos and Mauro joining the injured list, Quevedo still suspended and Bartelt having his licence temporarily revoked for passport irregularities, Juande Ramos also made several changes.

Within less than a minute Valladolid hit the bar with an Alberto header, and they knew that perhaps this was not going to be their day. Heinze brought two good saves out of Keller, but on their first real attack Rayo scored, Bizzarri failing to hold on to a shot from Iván Iglesias and watching helplessly as the midfielder got to the ball before anyone else to slide home his first goal of the season. Four minutes later Valladolid equalised though, Caminero once again the right man in the right place to head home a simple goal. In the second half Valladolid lost their way, and Ballesteros caught the defence by surprise running through to head Poschner's free kick past Bizzarri. Ferraro brought on two attackers Ciric and Pachón, and a few minutes later Keller was forced to leave the field with concussion after hitting his head against the goal post, Lopetegui coming on in his place. The American international keeper was kept in hospital overnight under observation, but left the next day with nothing more than a sore head.

Valladolid laid siege to Lopetegui's goal, and the keeper kept out Pachón when alone in front of goal. Then Alberto hit the post again after the keeper saved from Ciric, and only seconds later Ciric shot over when he should have scored. But Rayo broke free and Bolic picked up Iván's long pass to round Bizzarri and run the ball into an empty net for the winner. It left Rayo back up in eleventh place breathing a sigh of relief as they stop the rot. Valladolid left the field to whistles from the crowd, and Ferraro threw in the towel. His replacement needs results quickly, or they could be dragged down in to the relegation struggle. Team spirit is at a real low, and the club's financial position is not so strong. They have to stay in the first division to survive.